Here's what turned up on my latest iTunes shuffle mode playlist:
1. Restless Twilights-Hot Club Of Detroit
(One of the best uses of jazz accordion.)
2. Silent Night-October Project
(Solemn, haunting vocals; surprisingly, the tempo picks up about 1 1/2 minutes in.)
3. Now The Day Is Over-Stu Gardner/Nine Guys From Out Of Town
(Appropriate for the end of the working day, with a pace that take its time but doesn't feel like it's meandering.)
4. Vivaldi: Beatus Vir-Potens in Terra (Nicholas Ward: Northern Chamber Orchestra, Oxford Schola Cantorum)
(I've listened to this movement on Easter Sunday some years.)
5. Winter Wonderland-Ray Charles
(One of my favorite versions of this. I especially like the way it ends, with Charles saying, "Come on, walk it," over the keyboard fade-out.)
6. Winter Wonderland-Chris Botti
(Botti's trumpet instrumental take segues well with Ray Charles' version.)
7. Pick Up The Pieces-Money Mark
(I thought, when this tune was played on KDHX and KCLC in early 2007, that it could work as the theme song for a sitcom set in the '70s.)
8. Ten Years Later-Kathryn Priestley
(Thoughtful lyrics, a sincere voice, and a guitar make this song moving and complete.)
9. The First Noel-Steve Schenkel & Ashley Mason
(Two St. Louis talents turn in a pleasant, jazzy version of this carol. Mason's vocals are solid, and Schenkel keeps the guitar playing laid-back, at first. Then, he jets off into near-David Byrne, "Make Believe Mambo" territory to keep things interesting.)
10. When A Child-Hagood Hardy
(If you listened to "The 36--24, in later years--Hours Of Christmas" on KYKY between 1985 and 1991, you might have heard this piano and trumpet instrumental. Understated piano anchors this tasteful take on a lesser-known carol, until the trumpet really kicks in. Hardy's version of "Silent Night" is also recommended; it's one of the best, most intimate recordings of it I've heard.)
11. Christ The Lord Is Risen Today-St. Michael's Singers
(My favorite opening hymn from my Sundays of regular church attendance, years ago.)
12. Aqueous Transmission-Incubus
(An unusual blend of modern-day vocals with new age instrumentals.)
13. Reasons Why-Nickel Creek
(Yes! One of many stellar tracks from Nickel Creek's self-titled debut. Sara Watkins sings downcast lyrics effectively, with the memorable refrain, "Others have excuses. I have my reasons why." If this track is too downcast for you, listen to "Out Of The Woods.")
14. Pardon Me Sir-Joe Cocker
(One of his strongest tracks, although it isn't played often today. Not just any rock song cries out for tuba accompaniment, but this one does.)
15. Down To Earth-Fallen Leaves
(Subtle vocals illustrate the sense of wonder we have when we're young. There's a mixture of energy and wonder you have when you're a kid, and the song's imagery captures it.)
16. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-Charlie Haden & Hank Jones
(An elegant, piano-and-bass arrangement.)
17. Sense-The Lightning Seeds
(An early '90s recording that would have been at home on the pop charts during the '80s.)
18. Birdcalls-Cardinal (five variations from the compilation album, "Wild Birdcalls")
(A family tabby, Sammy, sat by a stereo speaker the first two times I played this, meowing and wondering where the birds were. During his third listen, his calico sister, Rosie, rebuked him with a sharp "Mew!" Roughly translated, I think she was saying, "You silly brother; these birds are recorded. They aren't the ones we see through the window.")
19. Sweet Jane-Cowboy Junkies
(As mentioned previously, this is one of the best examples of Margo Timmins' soft, compelling vocals.)
20. How Not To Behave-Christine Kane
(One of the best singer-songwriter tracks of 2009. Kane sings convincing, uptempo lyrics about learning from one's mistakes and drawing on one's reserves of bravery. I get the feeling that the song's protagonist is very resilient and will turn out fine.)
